Issue No:4 / 14 May-18 June Issue No:4 / 14 May-18 June A SPECIAL COVID-19 RESPONSE NEWSLETTER This fourth issue of our COVID-19 special newsletter covers the period from 13 May to date. It provides new updates of the work of the UN Agencies in Albania in response to the pandemic, in particular to reaching those furthest behind, advocating for women and children at risk and adjusting programmes to better assist Albania’s response and recovery against COVID-19. Previous issues of this special newsletter can be accessed here: issue 1 issue 2 issue 3 This period was characterized by a steady reduction of the number of cases and hospitalization. In mid-May this resulted in the announcement of the relaxation strategy of the government. However, during the last week, the number of cases is rising again. The WHO continues to be the UN frontline responder and supporter of the fight against COVID19 in Albania. Emergency Support One of 5 auto ambulances delivered by UNOPS as part of EU’s assistance to Albania, Photo Credit: EU in Albania UNOPS delivered on 15 and 18 June 2020 the second and third part of EU’s 4 Million Euro assistance to Albania for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. These deliveries included 5 fully equipped ambulances, 100 ICU hospital beds, 30 portable mechanical ventilators, 30 ECG governments of Switzerland and Norway and UNDP Albania. equipment and other necessary medical equipment to The new 31 life-saving machines were procured as part of treat severe cases. collective efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and to increase the capacities of Albania’s healthcare system to WHO, through USAID funds, supplied to the Institute of cope with the emergency. Public Health 2500 RNA extraction tests, and reagents for more than 40000 tests. 3450 more are arriving in the next As preschools and creches reopened on June 1st, UNICEF few weeks. Albania thanks to USAID funds, delivered 400 infra-red no touch thermometers for 400 creches and kindergartens in 10 On 16 July 2010 UNDP delivered to the MoHSP new municipalities (Tirana, Shkodra, Durres, Korca, Vlora, Maliq, ventilators as part of the Covid-19 joint assistance by Berat, Kukes, Lezhe, Elbasan. Click here. “Lifesaving ventilators delivered to Health Authorities thanks to Switzerland, Norway and UNDP. Photo Credit UNDP Albania” To help vulnerable and poor families and children cope enable CSO service providers to continue offering services with the financial burden caused by COVID 19, UNICEF to women in need, including accommodation in shelters is piloting for the first time in Albania a Humanitarian Cash in line with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection’s Transfer programme in Municipalities of Durres and Korca. Protocol on the management and functioning of shelters The amount of cash varies between 4’000 – 4’800 ALL during the COVID-19 pandemic. for a family depending the family size and transfers are processed through Albanian postal services. Click Here. UNFPA provided hygiene kits to 663 vulnerable families in Cerrik and Pogradec as part of the UN joint programme UN Women delivered 1100 protective equipment items ‘Ending Violence Against Women in Albania – EVAWIA to 12 Civil Society Organizations that support women in supported by Sweden. Tirana, Durres, Shkoder, Vlore and Elbasan. These items UN’s Immediate Socio-Economic Reponse to Covid-19 in Albania The established UNCT taskforce working on the UN-ALB with the EBRD and Business Albania will be published on Socio Economic Recovery Plan had a coordinative meeting ilo.org website shortly. with GoA and Development partners on July 3rd. The focus of all participatory institutions is to work together in supporting The rapid gender assessment conducted by UN Women the national response plan and in conducting light and confirmed that COVID-19 risks to deepen gender inequalities, quick assessments required to support it. The process for disproportionately affecting women livelihoods. The assessment the formulation of the UN’s Recovery and Response Plan reveals, for example, that women psychological and mental (including its components) as well as the socio-economic health are affected at much higher rates compared to impact assessments ongoing and a draft will be presented men (69% vs. 57%), with active working women (35-44 to the Government and partners in the coming days. years) experiencing even higher levels of distress (72% vs 58%). The survey was conducted in partnership with IDRA The ILO completed the Enterprise survey on Assessing Research & Consulting from April 17 to 26. To learn more the needs of enterprises resulting from COVID-19. The about the findings check out theUN Women Website where findings of the survey that was conducted in cooperation results will be published shortly. Issue No:4 / 14 May-18 June Enhancing Albania’s National Capacities to Combat Covid-19 he ILO will provide technical support to the State psychosocial support for children and adolescents in Labour Inspectorate, social partners and the humanitarian emergency settings, sexual and gender- companies on the compliance and monitoring of based violence during humanitarian emergencies, stress Tthe red protocols and the occupational health and safety related disorders during humanitarian emergencies (grief, standards and measures to be taken by the companies for loss, and depression), severe mental disorders, substance a safe resume of operations after the COVID-19 pandemic use related disorders and epilepsy, building back better. lockdown. Strengthening of COVID-19 testing capacities Risk Communication WHO carried out an online training of Municipality WHO supported the Ministry of Health and Social Hospitals and public health staff of District Public Health Protection (MoHSP) to producing 3 video spots for daily Units on “Clinical Management & Infection Prevention TV outreach on measures to be taken by individuals to and Control”. 2 hospitals with 25 Health professionals protect themselves from Covid-19. trained. As COVID-19 transmission is reported in health facility settings, WHO is holding a series of trainings of The ILO will provide technical support to the State Labour health personnel at University Hospital “Mother Teresa” on Inspectorate, social partners and the companies on the “Covid-19 prevention and control”. compliance and monitoring of the red protocols and the occupational health and safety standards and measures to be taken by the companies for a safe resume of operations WHO Solidarity Trial after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Garment industry companies, the target companies for this intervention 22 Albanian patients are enrolled at Solidarity Trial, starting in June 2020, will also be provided with PPEs. launched by the World Health Organization and partners to help find an effective treatment for COVID-19. More than 3500 patients haven been recruited in 35 countries, with over 400 hospitals actively recruiting patients. Overall, over 100 countries have joined or expressed an interest in joining the trial, and WHO is actively supporting 60 of them. Mental Health and Psychosocial support WHO and UNICEF are providing guidance and training to 250 professionals (psychiatrists, psychologist, social workers, GP from both public and NGO sector) in 8 webinar sessions extended in a period of two months, on mental health in emergencies, cross cultural issues and human rights protection during humanitarian emergencies, setting of mental health and psychosocial programs WHO and UNICEF providing training to mental health in emergencies, community-based mental health and professionals. Photo Credit WHO Albania Addressing Gender Concerns On 28 May 2020 the UN Women Executive Director held Supporting vulnerable groups a dedicated dialogue with representatives of National Gender Equality Machineries from the Western Balkans During the last two weeks, 28 identified cases of victims (including Albania), to discuss the gender equality impact from domestic violence have received services of CRMs of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nine priority issues for follow in 5 municipalities (Kavaja, Patos, Maliq, Roskovec and up during and post the pandemic were identified. To learn Fushe-Arrez). Under the UN Joint Programme “Ending more, Click Here. Violence against women in Albania” (EVAWIA) funded by Sweden, UNDP has supported 15 municipalities1 to Specialized emergency services to sexual violence establish and strengthen coordinated referral mechanisms victims are available at LILUM Center- the only one-stop (CRM) for domestic violence (DV) and gender-based center for sexual violence victims. violence (GBV) – which are proving to be even more important during the current Covid-19 emergency situation. A specific ‘COVID-19 related’ internal regulation on managing urgent sexual violence cases is now in place Facilitating access to justice to vulnerable individuals has thanks to UNDP support under the joint UN programme remained a priority during Covid-19 lockdown. 15 victims EVAWIA. of domestic violence have been provided with free legal aid and 6 other clients were supported with administrative Municipalities of Kavaja, Malesi e Madhe,Maliq,Patos, procedures to have special daily permission for leaving Ura Vajgurore, Kucova, Dropull launched online art their home during lockdown as part of the UNDP’s project competitions under the motto “Together for healthy and ‘Expanding Free Legal Aid Services (EFLAS) to Women non-violent families, even in emergency situations”. The and Men in Albania in cooperation with the Albanian aim was to engage men, boys, women and girls and Ministry of Justice. increase their awareness on GBV and promoting healthy relationship through art. Over 125 young girls and boys participated in these competitions and presented online their artistic works sharing their messages on fighting gender-based violence. The winners of the best artistic works were announced in the social media webpages of the municipalities. Following the approval of the dedicated protocol on undisrupted provision of services by emergency shelters, an online training session was organized by UN Women and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, to provide information on the requirements of the Protocol.